Piano action



c. w. ANDERSEN ET AL 3,280,686

Oct. 25, 196.6

PIANO ACTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 20. 1959 INVENTORS MMM/z @fidi/71 fM/@ Oct. 25, 1966 c. w. ANDERsl-:N ETAL 3,280,686

PIANO ACTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 20. 1959 United States Patent O 3,280,686 PIANO ACTION Clifford W. Andersen and Charles S. Corey, De Kalb, Ill., assignors to The Wurlitzer Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Ohio Filed July 20, 1959, Ser. No. 828,176 12 Claims. (Cl. 84-240) This invention relates generally to piano actions and more particularly to piano actions of the inverted-stickertype.

A general problem with piano actions of the invertedsticker-type is the proclivity of the stickers to fall in all directions when not connected to the piano keys. Accordingly, removal and reinstallation of such an action becomes quite difficult. It is therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide an improved piano action of the inverted-sticker-type in which the stickers are readily restrained for installation or removal of the action.

An additional problem encountered in installing or removing a piano action is the difficulty of transporting the action past the strings without inadvertently damaging the damper felts. Hence, another object of the invention is to provide a piano action in which the dampers are retracted when the stickers are restrained.

Ordinarily, in piano actions of the inverted-sticker-type, the sticker is driven by an auxiliary whip arrangement which -is operated, in turn, by the piano key. Since touch adjustments lmust be made by properly shimming this auxiliary whip arrangement, altering the touch of such an action becomes a complicated undertaking. Furthermore, complete elimination of the auxiliary whip arrangement would simplify construction of the action and reduce its cost. Accordingly, still another object of -the invention is to provide a piano action in which the sticker is directly actuated by the key and in which touch settings are quickly and easily made.

And still another object of the invention is to provide a piano action of the inverted-sticker-type in which the sticker is directly actuated by the piano key and in which lost motion is prevented from occurring between the jack and the butt.

Additional objects and features of the invention pertain to the particular structure and arrangements whereby the above objects are attained.

The structure in accordance with the invention includes a keyfork driven into the end of a piano key and a rubber grommet .and a screw by which a wooden sticker can be secured directly to the keyfork.

The invention, both -to its structure and mode of operaa circumferential slot 68.

3,288,686 Patented Oct. 25, 1966 FIG. 5 is a plan view of the keyfork shown in FIG. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, specifically to FIG. 1, a piano structure 10 is shown to include a front panel 12, a keybed 14 and a frame 16. In conventional manner, a backplate 18 is secured to the frame 16, piano strings 20 being suitably mounted to the backplate 18. Similarly, a balance rail (not shown) is mounted on panel 22 fastened to the keybed 14 in order to support a plurality of piano keys 24. While each key 24 pivots about the balance rail on a balance pin, a guide pin 26 guides the outer end of lthe key and is surrounded by a felt washer 27 serving as a downstop. A keybed felt 28 is appropriately secured to the end of panel 22 in order to support key 24 in rest position.

Depression `of a key 24 is arranged to cause striking of the corresponding string 20 through a piano action 30, the piano action 30 being mounted in the piano by means of a number of action brackets 32. Each of the brackets 32 is fastened to the backplate 18 by a screw 34 and a tubular, action spacer 36. A mainrail 38, a spring rail 40 and a hammer rail 42 extend through the piano to be affixed to each of the action brackets 32 for purposes of supporting the individual action members.

Piano action 30 is of the inverted-sticker-type; and as is well known, each hammer 44 of such an action includes a butt 46, butt 46 pivotally mounted to the mainrail 38 by means of a butt flange 48. Hammer 44 is urged to strike .a string 20 by means of a jack 50 which is pivotally mounted to a whip 52 by means of a jack flange 54. Whip 52 is, in turn, mounted pivotally to mainrail 38 by a whip flange 56, an abstract or sticker 58 being pivotally mounted to whip 52 by a pin 60 in order 4to .actuate jack when key 24 is depressed.

A screw 62 threadedly engages the free end of sticker 58, sticker S8 being preferably fabricated from wood or other rigid material. Accordingly, screw 62 can enter a hole bored axially in sticker 58 or can be screwed directly into the sticker. In accordance with a feature of the invention, screw 62 is provided with a knurled portion 64 which is adapted to retain above it a resilient grommet 66. As is best shown in FIG. 3, grommet 66 incorporates Grommet 66 lis preferably molded from rubber although it can also be lfashioned from felt.

A keyfork or yoke 70 is secured to the end of piano key 24, keyfork 70 being advantageously provided with a keyh-ole slot 72 (FIGS. 4 and 5) adapted to receive tion, will be better understood by reference to the followgrommet 66 at the circumferential slot 68. Keyfork 70 can be fabricated from steel and can be plated for corrosion resist-ance if desired.

In .a preferred embodiment of the invention, keyfork is provided with fa tongue 74 which can be driven directly into key 24, preferably at an angle in order to keep from splitting the wood of which key 24 is customarily made. If desired, tongue 74 may be coated with rosin in order to achieve better attachment.

It will be realized that provision of the knurled portion 64 effectively prevents axial movement of yscrew 62 relative to keyfork 70 and the conc-omitant occurrence of lost motion between grommet 66 land the head of screw 62 and between jack 50 and butt 46. Consequently, the undesirable noise which would otherwise be associated with this lost motion is eliminated. Knulrled portion 64 also prevents the gr-ommet from slipping down the shank of the screw when the keyfork is dissociated therefrom.

Furthermore, it will become apparent that the sensitivity of the touch setting can be readily regu-lated by merely advancing or retracting screw 62 from the end of sticker 58.

When it is desired to remove the pian-o action 30, sticker 58 may be readily separa-ted from key 24 by pushing grommet `66 from its engagement w-ith keyfork '70. Next, sticker S8 is pushed back until it engages backcheck 76 rigidly secured to whip 52. Continued pushing of sticker 58 causes whip 52 to pivot about pin 78; and as a result, spoon 80 engages the damper lever 82 urging damper 84 to pivot .about pin 86. This movement withdraws damper felt 88 from contact with string 20'.

The piano Iaction 30 will now be rearranged as shown in dashed outline in FIG. 1. In .this configuration, it should be noted, sticker 58 is disposed to the rear of a hook 90 which projects from -action bracket 32. Thus disposed, sticker 58 may be restrained in such position by means of a dowel rod 92 inserted longitudinally through action 30 between lhook 90 and stickerSS, it being understood that each bracket 32 has such .a hook'90, the d-owel being positioned behind all lsuch hooks. This arrangement is shown clearly in FIGS. 2 an-d 3.

As is suggested in FIG. 2, a number of stickers 58 can be restrained by the dowel Irod 92. When all of the stickers S have 'been so restrained, the screws 34 may be loosened and withdrawn from the action brackets 32 and the enti-re action easily withdrawn from the piano. It will be recognized that retracting the -dampers 84 as hereinabove described .greatly facilitates removal of the action by reducing the possibility :of damage to the felts 88 as might be occasioned by their being dragged across or along the strings 20 upon removal of the action 30.

The above procedure is easily reversed for reinstallation of Ithe piano action.

The specic example herein shown and described is illustrative only. Various changes in structure will, no doubt, occur to those skilled in the art; and these changes are to be understood as forming a part of this invention insofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. y

The invention is claimed as follow-s:

1. In a piano action, the combination comprising: a piano key; a keyfork driven into the vertical end face of said key; la grommet yadapted to engage said keyfork; a screw; and a sticker secured to said keyfork by said screw and said grommet.

2. In a piano action, the combination comprising: a piano key; a keyfor-k driven into the vertical end face of said key .at an angle; a grommet adapted to engage said keyfork; a screw knurled to retain said grommet; and

a sticker secured t-o said keyfork by said screw and said grommet.

3. In a piano action, the combination comprising: a wooden piano key; a keyfork driven into .the vertical end face of said key; a rubber grommet adapted to engage said keyfork; a screw knurled to retain said grommet; and a wooden sticker secured to said keyfork by sa-id screw and said grommet.4

4. In a piano action, the combination comprising: a piano key; a keyfork secured to said key; a grommet yadapted lto engage said keyfork; a screw; a sticker secured to said keyfork -by said screw and said grommet; an action bracket; hook means on said action bracket adjacent said sticker opening :away from said key, whereby said sticker can be restrained by a rod removably associated with and passing through said hook when said sticker is not secured to said keyfork.

5. In a piano action, the combination comprising: a piano key; a key-ork secured to said key; a Igrommet adapted to engage said keyfrork; a screw; a sticker secured to said keyfork by said screw and said grommet; an action bracket; hook means on said `action bracket adjacent said sticker opening away from said key; damper means on said action bracket; and means yoperably connecting said sticker and damper means whereby said sticker can be restrained by a rod removably associated with and passing through said hook when said sticker is not secured .to said fork, said sticker simultaneously engaging said means operably connecting said sticker and said damper means in order to retract said damper means.

6. In a piano action, the -combination comprising: a sticker having at its upper end a slender shank topped by an enlargement, said shank being knurled below said enlargement, a grommet Ion said shank held up in abutment with sai-d enlargement by the knurling, a piano key, and means operatively connected to said key Iand engaging said grommet for raising and lowering said sticker upon manual operation of said key.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein the grommet is provided with -a peripheral kerf receiving said engaging means.

8. In a piano action of the drop type, the combination of, a manually operable key lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends, an elongated endwise reciprocable link having a head thereon, a ring of resiliently yieldable material on said llink and having a flange at the upper end abutting against the underside of said head, means comprising a protuberance on said link maintaining said ring in xed longitudinal position on the link -in relation to said head, and a fork rigid with and projecting from the rear end of said key and having a rearwardly opening notch with the legs thereof straddling said ring and abutting the underside of said ange, the edges of said fork legs defining a generally circular hole at the closed end of said notch and a narrower slot at the outer end thereof, and said ring being held in said hole but being cornpressi'ble to permit shifting of the ring edgewise out of said notch through said slot.

9. In a drop type piano action, the combination of, a swingable key lever having a rearwardly opening fork at its end, a grommet of yieldable material having a hole therethrough and an outwardly opening peripheral groove snugly received between the legs of said fork and held thereby against edgewise displacement relative to said key lever, a pull link for transmitting the motion of said key lever including a screw having a head larger than said grommet hole and a shank inserted through said hole to bring the head into abutment with one end face of said grommet, and a continuous circumferential rib integral with the screw shank and large enough in diameter to retain the grommet but small enough to expand the grommet and slide through the hole therein during insertion of said shank through said grommet, said rib forming a positive stop abutting the opposite end face of said grommet to retain said grommet in position adjacent said head, whereby said grommet is held against sliding movement along said shank and whereby bouncing of said head away from the grommet at the end of the striking mot-ion of said key lever is prevented.

10. In a drop type piano action, the combination of, a swingable key lever having a rearwardly opening fork at its end, a grommet of yieldalble material having a hole therethrough and an outwardly opening peripheral groove snugly received between the legs of sa-id fork and held thereby against edgewise displacement relative to said key lever, a pull link for transmitting the motion of said key lever including a screw having a head larger than said grommet hole and a shank inserted through said 5 from said head, whereby said rib tends to hold said grommet against sliding movement along said shank and whereby bouncing of said head away from the grommet at the end of the striking motion of said key lever is resisted.

11. A piano action as defined in claim 10, wherein there is an additional continuous circumferential rib integral with the screw shank disposed below said rst named continuous circumferential rib and of substantially similar shape.

12. A piano -action as defined in claim 8, wherein said protuberance is disposed on said link in a position in relation to the thickness of the ring so as to maintain the ring in contact with said link head.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 235,370 12/1880 McCammon 84-250 2,061,154 11/1936 Heitzmann 84-240 2,156,963 5/1939 Betz 84-240 2,260,348 10/1941 Stein 84-240 2,324,037 7/1943 Socin 84-240 2,548,890 4/1951 Knoblaugh 84-240 2,761,345 9/1956 Knight 84-250 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

C. W. ROBINSON, LEYLAND M. MARTIN, LEO

SMILOW, Examiners.

L. H. MARSHALL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A PIANO ACTION, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A PIANO KEY; A KEYFORK DRIVEN INTO THE VERTICAL END FACE OF SAID KEY; A GROMMET ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID KEYFORK; A SCREW; AND A STICKER SECURED TO SAID KEYFORK BY SAID SCREW AND SAID GROMMET. 